Field of the Invention
The present invention generally related to three-dimensional (3D) modeling. More specifically, the present invention relates to a methodology that allows a user to “orbit” around a model on a specific axis of rotation and view an orthographic floor plan of the model. The present invention further allows a user to view and “walk through” the model while staying at a specific height above the ground with smooth transitions between orbiting, floor plan, and walking modes.
Description of the Related Art
There has been extensive work in the field of interactive, first-person 3D immersive environments in which users are able to walk through a virtual space. The last quarter-century of first-person shooter video games are evidence of and otherwise exemplary of the same.
Complementing and expanding upon this work are various tools for visualizing 3D models of terrain. Aerial modeling tools such as Google Earth allow users to virtually explore urban areas in 3D from an aerial point of view. Panoramic modeling tools such as Google Street View allow users to view multiple 360-degree panoramas of an environment and to navigate between these multiple panoramas with a visually blended interpolation. Finally, there exist a more generally applicable variety of 3D modeling tools such as Maya® 3D animation software and 3ds Max® software that allow users to view 3D models in an object-centric manner whereby a user may zoom in and out on the model and rotate the same around a desired central point.
It is also becoming more feasible to automatically capture real-world spaces in 3D. These captured spaces may then be converted into 3D models. Exemplary tools for such capture include laser scanners, coordinate measuring technologies, and various software suites from FARO Technologies and the 3D capture system from Matterport.
With these developments, there is a consequential need to view and navigate these 3D models on an array of computing devices.